AGGRANDIZE Synonyms: 111 Similar and Opposite Words

aggrandize

verb

ə-ˈgran-ˌdīz

Definition of aggrandize

as in to elevate

to assign a high status or value to a movie that aggrandizes the bad guys and makes the cops look like dopes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to increase

to make greater in size, amount, or number a generous grant, enabling the library to significantly aggrandize its collection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of aggrandize Vrabel has modernized, professionalized and aggrandized the Patriots in a matter of months. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 27 Nov. 2025 Part of him wants to aggrandize the country to reflect his own inflated self-conception. — Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025 Throughout the war, state-run media have aggrandized Russian wins on the battlefield, while downplaying or ignoring news to the contrary. — Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2025 In the Caribbean, San Juan’s rebirth following hurricanes and the pandemic is marked by an inaugural culinary festival, thanks to the very innovators who have aggrandized the tiny island’s bold flavors around the globe. — Shannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for aggrandize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for aggrandize

Verb

Seeking new crypto money, Christie’s and Sotheby’s cut all other legitimizing actors out of the loop with NFTs, elevating what might previously have been categorized as illustration, graphic art, or a social media meme to the status of fine art.

— Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Leave it to Skip Rutherford to elevate the level of public discourse.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of elevate

Verb

Repeating that process places significant stress on components, increasing operational and capital costs due to the risk of failure, maintenance requirements and downtime.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
Simply increasing your intake of legumes, which includes beans, may be an effective way to drop body fat.

— Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of increase

Verb

Inspired by his legacy, cofounders George and Amal Clooney created the Albies to ensure that the people doing the hardest work to promote justice — often far from the spotlight — are seen, heard and protected.

— Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
Around two dozen states have enacted some version of the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, which has been heavily promoted at the state and federal level by the AKA.

— Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of promote

Verb

Many legislators from both parties also have endorsed the use of state funds to expand energy assistance.

— Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
School officials say the roughly 150,000-square-foot facility significantly expands ECC’s capacity to prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing and other high-demand technical fields, with modern classrooms and labs.

— Rick West, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of expand

Verb

The cancer is characterized by abnormal, accelerated growth of squamous cells, according to the foundation.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Kenneth Walker backtracked five yards behind the line of scrimmage to sidestep a tackle, then reached the edge before breaking another, then accelerated downfield before breaking one more and, in the end, produced a 30-yard run.

— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of accelerate

Verb

Aftermarket devices that can boost or augment a vehicle’s native advanced driver assistance systems are the target of a new federal investigation this week.

— Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026
There is also ample storage, augmented by a big walk-in pantry.

— James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of augment

Verb

Instead, Island is betting that its broad platform and nimble startup-like feel will appeal to businesses looking to boost productivity and simplify their toolset.

— Samantha Subin, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
TGJones is also offering a 50 percent discount on the book (discounts like these often occur during the first few days to boost sales).

— Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of boost

Browse Nearby Words

agglutination

aggrandize

aggrandized

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Aggrandize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/aggrandize. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of aggrandize

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

slew

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes